Freight Facts and Figures 2012
Table 1-1. Economic and Social Characteristics of the United States: 1990, 2000, and 2008-2010
Freight transportation has grown over time with the expansion of population and economic activity within the United States and with the increasing interdependence of economies across the globe. The U.S. population grew by 24 percent between 1990 and 2010, climbing to 309.3 million in 2010. The U.S. economy, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased by 60 percent in real terms, while household income, another indicator of economic growth, rose by two percent between 1990 and 2010. Foreign trade grew faster than the overall economy, doubling in real value over the same period, reflecting unprecedented global interconnectivity.
Table in Excel format | Historical data
 |
1990 | 2000 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Percent change, 1990 to 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident population (thousands) | 248,791 | 282,172 | 304,375 | 307,007 | 309,330 | 24.3 |
| Households (thousands) | 93,347 | 104,705 | 116,783 | 117,181 | 117,538 | 25.9 |
| Median household income (2005 $) | (R) 44,790 | (R) 47,624 | (R) 45,665 | (R) 45,325 | 44,303 | -1.1 |
| Civilian labor force (thousands) | 125,840 | 142,583 | (R) 154,626 | (R) 153,091 | 153,613 | 22.1 |
| Employed1 (thousands) | 118,793 | 136,891 | 145,362 | 139,877 | 139,064 | 17.1 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (percent) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | -16.8 |
| Mining | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -3.0 |
| Construction | 6.9 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 6.5 | -4.9 |
| Manufacturing | 16.8 | 14.4 | 10.9 | 10.2 | 10.1 | -39.7 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 14.7 | 14.6 | 14.2 | 14.1 | 14.2 | -3.5 |
| Transportation and utilities | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.1 | -0.3 |
| Information | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | -22.3 |
| Financial activities | 7.1 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.7 | -5.1 |
| Professional and business services | 9.4 | 10.0 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 11.0 | 16.4 |
| Education and health services | 17.5 | 19.1 | 21.6 | 22.7 | 23.1 | 31.6 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 12.0 |
| Other services | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 13.1 |
| Public administration | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.9 |
| Business establishments (thousands) | 6,176 | 7,070 | 7,601 | 7,433 | 7,397 | 19.8 |
| Governmental units2 | 385,006 | 487,576 | 589,527 | NA | NA | NA |
| Gross domestic product (millions of 2005 $) | (R) 8,027,100 | (R) 11,216,400 | (R) 13,161,900 | (R) 12,757,900 | 13,063,000 | 62.7 |
| Foreign trade (millions of 2005 $) | (R) 1,973,122 | (R) 3,251,266 | (R) 4,461,196 | (R) 3,621,545 | 4,200,500 | 112.9 |
| Goods (percent) | NA | (R) 78.2 | (R) 77.5 | (R) 75.3 | 77.1 | NA |
| Services (percent) | NA | (R) 21.8 | (R) 22.5 | (R) 24.7 | 22.9 | NA |
Key: NA = not available; R = revised
1Based on the 2002 Census Industry Classification system. Data for 1990 do not appear in the source document; they are estimated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalk from the 1990 Census Industry Classification system to the 2002 Census Industry Classification system.
2Data for governmental units come from the Census of Governments, which is collected every five years.
31992
42002
52007
Sources:
Population: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Population Profile of the United States, available at www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile.html as of August 16, 2012.
Households: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements, table HH-1, available at www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html as of August 16, 2012.
Civilian Labor Force: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, available at www.bls.gov/data as of August 6, 2012.
Employment: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ces as of August 16, 2012.
Median household income: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables, table H-6, available at www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/household/index.html as of August 16, 2012.
Business establishments: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, available at www.census.gov/econ/cbp/ as of August 16, 2012.
Governmental units: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Census of Governments, available at www.census.gov/govs as of August 6, 2012.
Gross domestic product and foreign trade: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts Tables, table 1.1.5, available at www.bea.gov/national/FA2004/index.asp as of August 16, 2012.
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